Social Impact

 Fashion companies have been responding to social impact discussions for as long as infohive has covered social impact. Sustainable fabrics, workforce sustainability, transparent supply chains,  leathers made from cacti, mushrooms and other sustainable materials, and more. So many sustainable practices that the  London College of Fashion is opening an exhibit in October focusing on the social impact of fashion.

BBC | Exhibition to explore social impact of fashion

Two entrepreneurs in Mexico have developed a leather made from cacti. They’ve named it “Desserto”. The cacti are organically and sustainably grown. They estimate the leather could save 1 billion animals. @businessbulls.in

Lyft has introduced women + connect so that riders and drivers can match with other women and nonbinary people. Lyft customers and drivers were frequently requesting the feature. The owomen+ connect program is bring rolled out in limited cities as of September 20th. 

Lyft | Lyft Launches Women+ Connect

 The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute has begun using a traffic collision mannequin that is proportioned with narrower shoulders and wider hips. Before, crash testers used “male” dummies that were simply smaller. Why is this important? A 2019 study from the University of Virginia found that  “women are 73% more likely than men to be injured in the event of a frontal collision.⁠” @npr

@npr

Uber Eats is going to tell us their solution for food deserts. In 2024, Uber Eats grocery service will accept healthcare benefits (for nutritious foods) and food stamps. It’s said in Austin that a tomato in a food desert portion of the city can cost 2-3 times the amount of a tomato in other parts of the city. Go figure.

@Entreprenuer

@virginiatech scientists have discovered how to up-cycle plastic waste by breaking down carbon chains and creating safe soap. Is it only me who sees the regulatory and legislative opportunities?

 Let’s check out a partnership between THX! and a Peruvian grape grower. The Seedings Future Program focuses on education and community development. This includes packaging that shows the farm’s dedication to positively impacting the lives of farmworkers and the source of the fruits. They want to speak directly to the increasingly conscious market.

FreshPlaza

Chevy is recognizing black owned businesses that are “making a positive impact on the community every day.” This is their go-to list of impact factors: social impact and education, digital health and healthy dining, sustainability and environmental justice, and creating access to financial capital.

Chicago Crusader | Chevrolet’s “Step Up” initiative supports Black business owners driving change every day

The American Alliance of Museums has a new social impact measuring tool kit. It could be helpful to many entities beyond museums too. They focus on 4 outcomes: continued learning and engagement, increased health and well-being, valuing diverse communities, +  strengthened relationships.

 Mastercard and the University of Bath have a new report that works through measuring the global social impact of rugby. The metrics are inclusivity of disabled and female athletes, health outreach actively de-stigmatizing mental health care, better educational outcomes, the fan experience expansion to emerging rugby nations, and focusing on sustainability by signing the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and launching its own World Rugby Environmental Sustainability Plan 2030.

physical.org | ‘Future of Rugby’ report uncovers rugby’s social impact around the world

American Alliance for Equal Rights, which successfully agued the Supreme Court case ending diversity equity and inclusion in university admissions is now focusing on DEI in law firms. American Alliance for Equal Rights alleges that their clients were discriminated against because they are “straight, white men.”

Wall Street Journal | Activist Behind Supreme Court Affirmative Action Cases Is Now Suing Law Firms

Bloomberg Law | Perkins Coie, Morrison Foerster Sued Over DEI Programs

The Illinois Grocery Initiative, SB 850 (2023 | IL), directs $20 million to address the 3.3 million living in food deserts in Illinois. Yes, 1/4 of the state lives in a food desert. The legislation will impact food deserts by supporting “independent grocers through such things as technical assistance, feasibility studies, tax exemptions and access to funding for land, facilities or equipment.” Also included is a grant program for energy efficient equipment.

Gov. Pritzker Signs Legislation to Address Food Deserts Across Illinois

 I keep a file of “what not to do” and I’m adding this to it. A tech employer was asked by employees to justify, with data, its return to the office policy. No data was offered and instead a high ranking official in this company said that serendipity occurs when you’re in the office. I like a good John Cusack movie, just like anyone else, but relying on serendipity that occurs when a person is in an office when their work product and performance is excellent out of the office is not a justification for mandatory attendance. Guess how the workers felt? “workers feeling demoralized, distracted and undervalued.” Not an employer winning working confidence. 

Governing | Amazon Says Serendipity Is Enough to Bring Workers in Office

 A new  paper titled “The Emerging Greenium” from researchers at the Univeristy of Florida and the University of China uses data to show that green bonds became less costly in 2019. “[I] nvestors were consistently willing to accept a slightly lower return, or yield, on green bonds when compared to non-green counterparts.”

Route Fifty | An emerging ‘greenium’? New research says green bonds cost governments less

A project by Mastercard in India promoted digital transactions. That allowed Mastercard to track women owned businesses but it got complicated when trying to track the success rates of women owned businesses. To find better metrics analysts relied 3 phases: (1) on assessing pay equity, diversity within leadership ranks, talent development and career progression for underrepresented groups, labor standards; (2) how companies leverage their core competencies, deploy their products and services and work within their supply chains to help address societal challenge; and (3) how companies  philanthropic giving, volunteering, and other community investments.

Forbes | To measure social impact, we could start by using the tools we already have 

We’ve talked about Canada’s medical system offering prescriptions for fresh air and quality fruits and vegetables, now meet a California project called The Mobile Food Pharmacy. It is a partnership between the Food Bank of Contra Costa, Solano and Solano Public Health and Family Health Services that links health care with access to free, fresh produce and healthy cooking resources.

@good

California’s state agency that streamlines procurement is building sustainability into its procurement process. By providing state agencies with an e-catalog of available products and services, the state removes the burden of sourcing materials from each state agency by centralizing procurement and building sustainability into the pre-approved e-catalog. The same process can be applied to non-profits and businesses. Build in the processes for sustainability at every level.

Route Fifty | Ways procurement can push efficiency and sustainability

Slacktivism is a “a type of activism characterized by a lack of commitment or effort.” Some say plastic straw bans are a form of slacktivism because plastic straws account for 0.025% of unrecylced plastic according to National Geographic.

Route Fifty | Did plastic straw bans work? Yes, but not in the way you’d think.

Employees of Dream11, which runs a fantasy sports platform, are fined $1200 if they bother employees while the employee is on vacation. Looks a lot like the policy of some European countries where employers are fined for nothing employees on vacation for non-emergency issues.

@bloombergbusiness

 Say hello to a six-week MIT Sloan School of Management course,  Social Media Strategy: Creating Engagement, Insight, and Action. This online short course examines how social media is shaped by the levers of code, money, norms, and law. You’ll learn from Faculty Director and social media expert Sinan Aral as you take a deep dive into his book, The Hype Machine.

MIT Management Education | Leverage the economic power of social media

never underestimate women & their spending power  A trifecta of women spending power has occurred this summer. The Barbi movie is the first ever woman directed film to gross $1 billion. Taylor Swift’s tour is breaking records with the Phoenix stop provided greater economic impact to the area than the Super Bowl. Beyonce’s tour is also boosting local economies. Abroad Beyonce’s tour spending affected inflation in Sweden and the U.K.

@femalequotient

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) is forming a PAC to support moderates of both parties with the goal of breaking the very conservative supermajority in the Legislature. Kansas has a long history of working across the aisle and reaching bipartisan solutions. A friendly reminder for the private sector too that data supports greater profit with increased diversity.

Kansas Reflector | Gov. Laura Kelly forms PAC to support moderate GOP, Democratic legislative candidates

Converting unused office space into vertical farming is gaining traction. It’s a way to move farming closer to people. A win for sustainability. A win for downtown real estate. 

@good

Trash collectors in Ankara, Turkey created a library consisting of the books that people threw away. It’s quite phenomenal. The trash collector also converted a trash truck into a mobile library to bring books to schools and other libraries.

@upworthy

The 119th anniversary convention for Alpha Phi Alpha, a prominent national Black fraternity is no longer being held in Florida. Why? “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ harmful, racist and insensitive policies against Black communities.” The financial hit to Florida? An estimated $4.6 million in revenue.

NPR Central Florida | Oldest Black fraternity pulls out of Florida convention due to African American history standards

England (like Sweden before her) charges for plastic bag use. England saw a 98% reduction in plastic bag use. 98% drop, wow!

@good

Goodbye to fears that there would be a “she-cession” where women left the workforce due to the pandemic. Fear no more, the number of employed women has increased. Women in the job market reached record highs in June at 77.8%. The largest gap of women and men working is in Arizona with an 18% gap between men and women in the workforce.

Governing | After Pandemic Dip, Women Employment Returns at Record Rate

Meet recovery cafes, a place where rural people can gather for a safe place on their recovery journey from substance abuse or those who have other mental health care goals like loneliness.

The Reaching Rural Initiative is working at the intersection of substance abuse and public safety to provide low cost ways for people in recovery to gather and talk. Lots of partnership opportunities in this space.

Route Fifty | Recovery cafes offer support, healing in rural communities

What is on the mind of 992 corporate board members who responded to a Diligent Institute survey on esg? 12% of US companies do not prioritize esg. Globally that number is 2%. If you listen to the “anti-woke” rhetoric you’d think this number is higher. It is not. 34% in the U.S. say there is risk involved with esg, and we’re full circle as the risk is the political rhetoric.

Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance | Sustainability in the Spotlight: Has ESG Lost Momentum in the Boardroom?

Help your clients with strategy. What do 97% of business leaders identify as a key leadership quality? strategic thinking. What do 96% of business leaders say they don’t have an enough time for? strategic thinking. Help them find the time. Help them identify strategic objectives. Be that strategic thinker for them.

@harvard_business_review

France is providing incentives for people to repair their clothes and shoes in an effort to “reduce textile waste and fast fashion demand.” For the next 5 years, rebates will be available. As an added bonus it will increase the demand for local tailors and cobblers. Very cool, Instead of a policy that is NO! Don’t do this. It is Yes! Do this. Positive reinforcement for the win!

@goodgoodgoodco

Texas failed quality of life rankings for CNBC’s annual business climate ranking. Texas ranks the lowest of all states, below Arizona. CNBC ranking for TExas quality of life began to decline in 2017. The rankings point to Texas’ ” outlawing diversity and inclusion offices in higher education institutions, banning healthcare for transgender minors and the state’s strict abortion ban.” Texas received an “F” for life, health, and inclusion, and a “C” for business friendliness, education, and infrastructure.

Houston Chronicle | Texas ranked No. 1 worst state to live and work in, new study says

Three 8th grade girls in Baltimore unlocked how to deliver fresh food to local food deserts. Their ingenious idea is to have buses park in neighborhoods filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. The buses will have a point of sale system and will help people who can’t get to fresh markets.

@baltimorebanner

I regularly follow Martha Stewart on social media. This week she posted about climate change, not her usual modus operandi. Much like corporations who are finding their voice, so is Martha. This how she approached climate change, it could be helpful in advising clients: “I just don’t want you all to think I sit around feasting on caviar and black truffles every day. In fact today was a disaster!!! Eight inches of rain!! Road washced out down to surge stone level! Trees hit by lightning. Trees falling into other trees because of weakened footing due to so much water vegetables rotting in the garden because of so much water. And what are we doing as a nation to remedy this erratic weather and global warming?? Think about it and start to act responsibly please!!!!!!!!”

@marthstewart48

Recently the Texas Legislature passed a bill that is said to override local worker safety protections for heat exposure. Let’s be clear, Texas is hot in the summer. Like inferno hot. Meet Rogers-O’Brien Construction, a Texas company that is protecting its workers by having them wear technology to monitor heat and other health impacts at job sites. The wearable technology will continuously monitor heart rate, body temperature and other biometric indicators, and will send an alarm to the worker and a safety supervisor to protect the worker from health impacts.

Governing | One Texas Company Uses Wearable Tech to Beat the Heat

Shopify now has a calculator that calculates the cost of meetings that involve 3 or more people. The calculator is embedded in employees calendars. A 3o minute meeting can cost from $700 to $2000. That’s an efficiency measurement. if I ever saw one.

@bloombergbusiness

Goats are being used to clean up overgrown green space in Austin. Goats are also being used to clean up vegetation in Reno, Nevada to prevent wild fires. In Reno, the city and county are partnering with the Nevada Energy and the Nevada Division of Forestry. Kudos for thinking outside the box.

@Austinmonthly

City of Reno | Reno Fire, NV Energy, Nevada Division of Forestry Using Goats to Reduce Wildfire Risk

In 2022, charitable giving declined by 3.4%. That’s a 10.5% when adjusted for inflation according to Giving USA. The really big deal is that this is only the 4th time in 4 decades that charitable giving has declined year over year.

AP | Charitable giving in 2022 drops for only the fourth time in 40 years: Giving USA report

Courts have been pointing to the first amendment’s protection of free speech to halt bills that ban drag shows, or prohibit trans health care as an infringement on the free speech of drag performers and doctors. Tennessee’s ban on drag shows has been permanently enjoined with the judge writing that it “reeks with constitutional maladies of vagueness and overbreadth fatal to statutes that regulate First Amendment rights.”

Route Fifty | Anti-LGBTQ laws in the US are getting struck down for limiting free speech of drag queens and doctors

Times are a-changing… New Jersey legislators set aside 420 million to create the state’s first Social Impact Investment Fund to advance socially beneficial investments in communities. The goal is for the fund to close financing gaps.

The fund can also accept private funds. The projects that can benefit include affordable-housing developments, infrastructure-improvement projects, and early childhood education centers.

New Jersey Spotlight News | Is new social-impact fund first step to NJ public bank?

A study by a researcher at the University of Essex reveals that consuming positive news elevates a person’s mood positively. Consuming bad news is detrimental to health. Interestingly amusing news did not have the same beneficial impact as positive news.

Houston Chronicle | News stories about acts of kindness can positively affect mood, study found

Buffering the effects of bad news: Exposure to others’ kindness alleviates the aversive effects of viewing others’ acts of immorality

Meet Julia Stewart she worked as a waitress at IHOP when she was 16. Ultimately she became President of Applebees but was passed over for the CEO job. Julia pivoted. She became the  CEO of IHOP  and bought Applebees. And, that’s how it is done, ladies and gentlemen. She led IHOP through 18 consecutive quarters of growth.

@femalequotient

S&P Global’s latest ESG rankings gave Tesla a 37 and Phillip Morris an 84. In response, Elon Musk called esg “the devil.” The drama never ceases.

Yahoo! News | Elon Musk says ‘ESG is the devil’ with tobacco firms trouncing Tesla in social-responsibility ratings

MIT has a new online journal, The Public Interest Technologist (TPIT), that brings together the MIT community to discuss social responsibility of new technologies. MIT and 63 other universities have joined to support the New America Foundation to share ideas about public interest technology.

MIT News | Defining the public interest in new technologies

New word alert: ecopreneur. Found it in an article about Social Entrepreneurship Program at Stanford GSB. “The number of SIF (Stanford Social Impact Founders) fellowships and prizes awarded doubled through a collaboration between Stanford GSB’s Center for Social Innovation and Stanford Ecopreneurship Programs, established through the Benioff Ecopreneur Fund. “

Some tips and tricks to find a socially responsible bank. First, decide what socially responsible means to you. You can then check the financial institution’s website and look for things like whether it is a Corp, joins the 1% for the planet alliance or the Global Alliance on Banking. Look for Fossil Free certification. Check the bank’s mission. You can also consider a local credit union.

Market Watch | ‘Every dollar has power to shape our world’: How to find a socially responsible bank

Gilead Sciences is being labeled a sustainable stock. How did we get here? And, how do we get the Handmaid’s Tale out of our heads? GILD made the cut because of environmental considerations like the environmental impact of the company’s products and services, the company’s efficiency in terms of its use of energy and resources, and social considerations such as human rights, child labor, corporate diversity, and the company’s impact on society.

Nasdaq.com | Why Gilead Sciences is a Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock (GILD)

While some of us cannot sustain interest in golf, golf is becoming sustainable. The GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf has listed the 100 most sustainable golf courses in Europe. What makes a golf course sustainable? Fantastic golf, caring for the local landscapes and biodiversity, actively strengthening their communities, and taking action to reduce adverse climate impact.

Golf Business News | Today’s Golfer to publish list of ‘Top 100 Greenest Golf Courses in Europe’

81% of employees look for employers that support mental health. Let’s take a peek at Rare Beauty, a company that puts mental health front and center. 1% of the company’s sales go to the Rare Impact Fund that seeks to raise $100 million over the next 10 years to fund mental health programs. The company built their mental health care mission into the company’s purpose. The company hosts weekly virtual chats and an annual forum to promote mental heath care.

Fast Company | How Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty brings mental health advocacy to the office

This week conservatives are vocalizing concern over a DEI program at Chick-Fil-A. A program that has existed since at least 2020. I’m so confused…

NY Times | Why Chick-fil-A Is Drawing Fire Over a ‘Culture of Belonging’

This week the European Parliament voted in favor of a Corporate Due Diligence Directive that will require corporations and financial institutions to conduct mandatory human rights and environmental sustainability due diligence. The move was in response to considerations that voluntary due diligence was not creating a shift in corporate action.

Reuters | EU parliament backs company checks on suppliers for human rights abuses

You know those articles this year about how countries like India, China, Mexico, and the E.U. have banned a lot of the food additives that are common in the U.S. Well, now we have states working to ban those food additives. California and New York are working to “prohibit the manufacturing and sale of products containing additives that have been linked to cancer, neurodevelopmental issues and hormone dysfunction.” So what are we talking about? Red Dye #3, Titanium dioxide, Brominated vegetable oil, Potassium bromate, and Propylparaben.

New York Time | Two States Have Proposed Bans on Common Food Additives Linked to Health Concerns

Words are important. Messaging is important. Diversity and Inclusion is being talked about as diversity and belonging. The goal is to remove the villain and/or victim mentality and create a place where people feel like they belong. The nonpartisan nonprofit Business for America surveyed CEOs and discovered that the way DEI programs were rolled out “exacerbated divides even while addressing valuable issues.”

NYTimes | Why Some Companies Are Saying ‘Diversity and Belonging’ Instead of ‘Diversity and Inclusion’

Pet policies are en vogue. Companies are offering pawternity leave (time off when you get a dog), pet bereavement days, dog boarding in the office, discounted pet insurance, and the ultimate perk: granting the right to bring your pet to work. It’s a reflection in our changing culture where pets holder a greater importance and impact employee wellness.

@bloombergbusiness

I’ve learned a new term, a play desert. 7% of U.S. land has no access to parks and other recreational lands. Most play deserts are located in the Southeast and Southwest, places where it is hot, hot, hot with UV indexes that frankly frighten me.

Route Fifty | 7% of the United States Is a ‘Play Desert’

A coalition of LGBTQIA+ organizations are calling on corporations, including Target, to stand up to the “extremist playbook” attacks on the queer community. The organizations want to join forces with corporations to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA community. ” 70% of non-LGBTQ+ people believe companies should publicly support and include the LGBTQ+ community through practices like hiring, advertising and sponsorships (Accelerating Acceptance, 2023). “

LEADING LGBTQ+ ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS RAISE THE ALARM TO BUSINESS COMMUNITY ON COORDINATED ANTI-LGBTQ+ ATTACKS; CALL ON TARGET TO LEAD

 A grocery store in Sweden partnered with a local food mission. They are opening special grocery stores with steep discounts for those struggling to make ends meet. Kudos for creating an accessible place to grocery shop and offer dignity for all people to go grocery shopping.

@willyssverige

Some bus stops in Boston will have free digital libraries. Cool, right? Transit riders can read short stories, poems, articles, and books in English and Spanish. Plus best sellers for kids and teens. No library card required, no app to download, transit riders just use a QR code at the bus stop.

NBC Boston | Boston Rolls Out Free Digital Libraries at Some Bus Stops

Scientists are developing “plastic wrap” that’s not plastic. Instead it is made from seaweed and is high temperature safe. Yep, no more melting plastic in the microwave.

@good

There is growing interest for social impact bonds. A Goldman Sachs Asset Management social bonds survey, Investing in Inclusive Growth, found 65% of respondents invested in or were interested in investing in social impact bonds. Only 12% had no interest. They also discovered that  “only small number of managers offer a dedicated social bond fund” and thereby expect that number to grow.

IFA Magazine | Appetite for social bonds grow as investors turn to ‘S’ in ESG – Goldman Sachs

The 2021 study “Sustainability at a turning point” by the IBM Institute for Business Value says 70% of workers are seeking environmentally sustainable employers.  A 2022 Deloitte study, “Sustainability action report: Survey findings on ESG disclosure and preparedness” showed that 52% of employers see increased esg reporting as valuable for employee attraction and retention. Win-win!

Tech Target | Why sustainability improves recruitment, retention

Illinois is poised to be the first state to end book bans when the Illinois Legislature passes a provision to “withhold state funding from any of the state’s 1,600 public or school libraries that remove books from their shelves.”

@politico

The Texas House of Representatives talked mental health, wellness when passing HB4845 (2023 | TX) that creates a bullying prevention pilot program. When politics gets divisive, remember there are Republicans who talk about wellness and mental health and take action to improve wellness and mental health.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Does your business or non-profit acknowledge, support, or recognize AAPI heritage by  recognize Lunar New Year? Colorado has made Lunar New Year a state holiday. Pew Research has recognized AAPI the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population.

GoodGoodGoodCo | 22 Ideas To Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month (2023)

Governing | Colorado Bills Could Be Wins for Asian, Native American Communities

Looking for ways for your business to support your indigenous employees, leaders, customers, and local community? Perhaps there’s inspiration in how Colorado is acknowledging the contributions of indigenous Coloradans by religious and cultural traditions, including donning traditional garb at celebrations.

Governing | Colorado Bills Could Be Wins for Asian, Native American Communities

A coalition of sports player associations are joining together to support May as Mental Health Care Month. It’s the first time the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, WNBA, and MLB have joined forces to support athlete mental health and well being.

@mlspa

A yogurt company’s CEo says the company culture is to show that capitalism and humanitarianism are symbiotic. As in a corporation can do good deeds, support its employees, its community and still make a profit. The CEO of Chiobani says “before the 1970s, the core purpose of business is to create value for allshareholders. That includes workers, your community and the world altogether.”

ABC 10 | Chobani CEO says he won’t be captive to profit demands

The World Economic Forum reminds us that “corporations with more than a quarter of women on their executive committees realized a profit margin of 16% – more than 10 times higher than those with no female board members. ” If all businesses had at least 1/4 of the board seats filled by women that would mean an “extra $1.1 billion (£900 million) in pre-tax profit on average for each of these businesses” * business being FTSE350 companies.

World Economic Forum | More than DEI: Why it pays to get women in the boardroom

What happens when the proclaimed Danish Capital of the US, Solveng, California finds itself opposing pride flags? You draw the ire of Denmark. The mayor of Copenhagen publicly explained to Solveng that those are not the values of Denmark. The subtext being- Don’t call your town the Danish Capital, your values are not Danish. A quick lesson in staying on brand … the Danish brand.

Governing | Copenhagen Mayor Chides Solvang, Calif., for Anti-LGBTQ Culture

Ever wonder why does esg resonate with businesses but is a bone of contention for some politicians? The C Suite knows that research shows that pro-social and pro-environmental behavior strengthens their business.  Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase & Co. says “research has shown that purpose-driven companies achieve stronger business results and have greater impact by doing better for their customers, employees and shareholders.”

Investment News | Why the ESG backlash has little effect on corporations

The Pittsburgh Penguins have released their sustainability pledge. let’s take a peak. Their goal: “reducing negative impact on the environment and promoting sustainable practices to help preserve natural resources, while also supporting economic and social development. ” Their partners are: PPG, U. S. Steel and Evoqua Water Technologies.  The hockey team is ensuring that their arena reduces food waste, partner with 412 Food Rescue to donate and redistribute all unused food, improved real recycling, sponsoring a tree planting program and raise funds and call attention to the National Aviary.

NHL | Penguins Announce the ‘Penguins Pledge’ Sustainability Initiative

IN 2021 the number of Chief Sustainability offers tripled. Translating sustainability to customers is key. The chief sustainability officer at Dentsu suggests talking about sustainability in ways that make it ” accessible, that’s aspirational, that’s rewarding and fun,” Businesses say sustainability is integral to strategy, growth and purpose, and is competitive advantage.

AdWeek | Inside the Agency Race to Bring Sustainability Efforts In-House

A study by RBC Wealth Management women are twice as likely to say impact investing is important. @ellevest says women give more, more often and more likely to women and girls.

@ellevest

When thinking about governance and policies for impact businesses, non-profits and governments, consider a what not to do file. For fodder, consider whether or not Confederates’s Day should be be a state holiday as it has been declared in Mississippi and Alabama. The founder of Project Say Something says it is “quite tone deaf.”

AP | Alabama and Mississippi mark Confederate Memorial Day

Harvard researchers say a two question protocol will make you more likable and make a great impression. What’s an example- say you’re at a gathering and there’s a football game on- Ask a stranger, what’s your favorite football team? Then follow up with how did that team become your favorite team? Science for the win.

INC. Harvard Research: The Two Question Protocol

76 counties across the country have no grocery store. 34 of those counties are in the Midwest and Great Plains. Small towns are trying to save their local grocers. Rural Grocery Initiative in Kansas has worked since 2006 to fund and support rural grocers. Everyone should have access to fresh food.

NPR | Rural grocery stores are dying. Here’s how some small towns are trying to save them

“For pension funds, the argument for ESG investing has always been that it provides a long-term lens through which the future profitability and even sustainability of companies can be viewed, so that short-term financial performance and profits are not assumed to be perpetual.” It seems that some pension funds are pushing back against performative politics.

Bloomberg Insight | Money Managers Denounce Anti-ESG Crusade

Investors are urging companies to invest in worker safety. A global coalition of 192 institutional investors representing US$1.3 trillion in assets are behind the effort. Hello,  Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), welcome.

Ecotextile news | Investors urge brands to back worker safety

Data lover @girlthatinvest uses past 10 years of S&P 500 company data to show that women CEOs outperform male CEOs. Visual data here. is it the collaboration? is it the listening? is it the willingness to adapt? is it employee productivity?

@femalequotient

Overlooked ESG element: supply chain sustainability. This test from Electronics Supply Chain News hones into supply chain sustainability:

• Social impact: Products and services should be ethical. Organizations must determine whether forced labor, child labor or other inhumane conditions occur at any point along the supply chain.
• Governance impact: Numerous companies manufacture, coordinate and ship products. Do their values align with their mission statements? What do their boards of directors look like and how do they measure corporate performance?
• Environmental impact: The farther a product travels to reach its final destination, the more fuel, temperature control and packaging are required. In turn, shipping exerts strong environmental effects.

Harvard Business Review proposes thinking of sensitive employees as having a superpower. While they may be the most stressed, they are also rated the top managers. When thinking about diversity, don’t neglect neurodiversity.

When I read this, I thought, oh data that’s actually sandwiching bad news in between good news. The good news: more women are outlearning their husbands. The bad news: woman still do more housework. The number of women who are the sole or primary breadwinner has tripled between 1972 and 2022, from 5% to 16%. The number of egalitarian households rose from 11% to 29% over the same time frame.

Pew Research In a Growing Share of U.S. Marriages, Husbands and Wives Earn About the Same

non-profits & doing good? A new report from Lown Institute says non-profit hospitals receive more benefit from  their tax breaks than the give back.  “Out of 1,773 nonprofit hospitals evaluated, 77% spent less on charity care and community investment than the estimated value of their tax breaks — what we call a “fair share” deficit.”

A market-led initiative within the U.N. called the  Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures is helping big companies and financial institutions report on nature-related risks. Cool way to talk about sustainability, eh? nature-related risks. The technology led reporting approach allows companies to mitigate risk by creating a baseline on the state of nature in priority areas with ongoing monitoring to track progress.

Wall Street Journal | Companies Urged to Take Stock of Their Impact on Nature and Related Risks

States like NC, FL and TX are considering legislation to prohibit/limit DEI in state institutions of higher education and state agencies. In NC, the pushback from academics includes a lesson in history. Did you know that in the 1960s state governments also pushed back against universities that welcomed the the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s?

NC Policy Watch | UNC System faculty members, staff bristle as legislature targets Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts

Spiral is a  US-based sustainability and social impact fintech. Spiral is launching — Impact-as-a-Service platform. The platform is showcasing its offerings to 10,000+ financial services providers such as banks, fintechs and credit unions.

Retail banker International | Social impact fintech Spiral lands $28m Series A investment

Rural Homes is part of the Telluride Foundation to provide homes for less than $400,000 for police officers, teachers, government workers and small business owners making about $50,000 a year. Rural Homes is partnering with Paradox Community Trust to cover infrastructure costs covered by philanthropic gifts and partnering with Colorado Health Foundation for $2 million loan. Health is housing, they say.

 Colorado Sun

Women are 41% more likely than men to experience workplace toxicity from the Suite and beyond according to new research from MIT Sloan Management Review. At C-levelpositions, women are 53% more likely to experience corporate toxicity. A review of employer reviews and feedback show that toxic corporate culture is the single largest contributing factor that drove resignations.

HR Dive | Women may be more likely to experience toxic workplace culture, even in the C-suite

We talked about the public-private partnership in Philadelphia that sought o help with food deserts by planting fruit trees. Now we’ll talk about the plan to plant food forests in San Antonio. Not only will the fruit bearing trees provide fresh fruit to local residents the planting of additional trees cleans and cools the air. The two projects represent a partnership between the city’s Metropolitan Health District and its Parks and Recreation Department, and the Food Policy Council of San Antonio, the city’s Office of Innovation and Bexar County’s Parks and Recreation Department, respectively.

San Antonio Report | Food forests find a place at San Antonio’s table

Lever for Change is an arm of the MacArthur Foundation that is dedicated to tackling the world’s biggest problems—including racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. By matching donors with problem solvers. The goal is to award $1 billion.

Lever for Change

Cisco’s Mary de Wysocki, Cisco’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, tells us how Cisco lives and breathes shared value, “Shared value is how a company can have policies and practices that help to advance the business while also helping individuals and communities where it operates thrive…we mean for our business and our communities, our customers, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders. These groups are linked, and we can only achieve an inclusive future for all by all – meaning by working in partnership towards common goals.”

3BL | Building More Sustainable and Resilient Communities: An Interview With Cisco’s Chief Sustainability Officer 

Ford changed its compensation committee to the Compensation, Talent and Culture Committee. Why? To support its company policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In Ford’s words “It is incumbent on society as a whole, and businesses in particular, to innovate and adopt new ways to push for equity in employment, education, and everyday wellbeing, and to create greater DEI at all levels.”

Ford | Integrated Sustainability and Financial Report 2022

Parental leave policies vary across companies. The average tech company- 18 weeks of parental leave. Netflix offers parents 52 weeks of paid parental leave that can be taken anytime in a child’s early years. Food for thought for your company’s parental leave policy.

Sustainability | Top 10: Brands for Diverse Corporate Social Responsibility

Kum &Go, the Iowa based convenience store, took to twitter to say ” Protect Trans kids. Period.” and “we’re people first and that means speaking up for our community. yesterday, we voted against SF482 and SF538 in the state of Iowa. we know that this is just the beginning, and we still have work to do to continue to advocate for the LGBTQ+ members of our community” Companies speak in many ways. Data says consumers prefer companies that share their world view. Gallup poll says 71% of us support same sex marriage.

@kumandgo

The Texas Legislature is considering HB2127 (2023 | TX) and its identical twin, SB814 (2023 | TX), which would prevent cities from taking action that the state hasn’t specifically authorized. What are we really talking about? Austin based an ordinance to ban single use plastic bags. Denton banned fracking near homes. Local leaders are working to sustain their communities base don their local flavor. Austin’s ethos isn’t Texas. Houston’s ethos isn’t Texas.

The Hill | Sustainability : Texas legislature could strip cities of local authority 

The 2023 KPMG Winter Consumer Pulse Survey asked consumers about sustainability. Here’s what they found about consumers when making a purchase: 37% consider environmental sustainability, 33% consider social responsibility. The younger the consumer, the more serious they are about environmental sustainability.

Business of retail | Do consumers care about sustainability and responsibility?

4 social impact trends to watch in 2023: (1) companies tackling social issues will become commonplace (2) social impact structure is necessary and can be effectuated with social impact teams to drive employee engagement (3) gender diversity will rise (4) maintain your social impact data

Forbes | 4 Critical DEI Trends To Watch In 2023

Ever wonder what diversity, equality and inclusion metrics your company needs? Look to Intrepid Travel, an Australian based travel tour company. It is established 5 commitments and 23 measurable like 50% of its content partners will be BIPOC, 10% plus size, 10% LGBTQ, and 10% indigenous. What matters to your company?

Fast Company | The 10 most innovative corporate social responsibility initiatives of 2023

Ally Financial is committed to investing its ad dollars equally in men’s and women’s sports. Gone are the days of only sponsoring a baseball team. It’s said Ally’s support moved the women’s professional soccer league finals to primetime instead of noon.

Fast Company | The 10 most innovative corporate social responsibility initiatives of 2023

Meet Yelp! We all know Yelp. Did you know that Yelp vocally announced support for its employees that need to secure reproductive healthcare services? And that Yelp actively removes disinformation that could send a person to a crisis pregnancy center rather than an abortion clinic? Yelp adds disclaimers for entities that do not provide abortion services or abortion referrals. Yelps handling of reproduction access has been an example for other corporations.

Fast Company | The 10 most innovative corporate social responsibility initiatives of 2023